GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => General discussion => Topic started by: tweed on 24 September 2012, 10:49
-
I've decided I want a canon. Always liked taking pictures etc.
But I haven't a clue what's good and what's not. I will only get a used one to start. Was going to bid on a canon 1100d dlsr just now, but didn't as I wasn't sure and it ended at £230 with 18-55mm and 28-80mm
So could I have some advise on what to look out for please. So I can keep an eye on eBay and get a good deal when I see one.
Thank you!!
-
Canon - good choice
Buying second hand - good choice
What sort of budget do you have to play with?
-
I don't want spend any more than £500 to start.
Was hoping around £300. But don't know what to get
-
£500 will get you a very decent S/H Canon.
You don't have to look on just ebay either.
Don't be fooled into thinking the ebay prices are the best. Particularly with Canon and Nikon gear the prices get pushed up during the auctions so the prices aren't that great.
Also look at the new deals on Jessops (http://www.jessops.com) and Warehouse Express (http://www.wexphotographic.com/).
Warehouse Express actually have the Canon 1100D with 18-55mm lens for £349. So you could just get a new one.
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-canon-eos-1100d-digital-slr-camera-with-18-55mm-is-ii-lens/p1523930 (http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-canon-eos-1100d-digital-slr-camera-with-18-55mm-is-ii-lens/p1523930)
Here's a Canon 1100D with 18-55mm lens £280 from a shop:
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-EOS-1100D-+-18-55_61464.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-EOS-1100D-+-18-55_61464.html)
The you could add a zoom lens
Canon 75-300mm for £80
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-75-300mm-USM-III_61465.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-75-300mm-USM-III_61465.html)
and a prime if you wanted.
Canon 50mm f1.8 for £80
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-EF-50MM-F1.8-II_60922.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-EF-50MM-F1.8-II_60922.html)
All that ^ for £440
Or swap the Canon 50mm for Canon 28mm f2.8 for £50 more
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-28mm-F2.8-A/F_61042.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-28mm-F2.8-A/F_61042.html)
Or you could swap for a Canon 450D which is the same price as the 1100D but a slightly better camera:
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-450D-+-18-55_61427.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-450D-+-18-55_61427.html)
Or even a 40D (up another notch of quality) for £300 (but without lens)
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-**SUMMER-SALE**40D-BODY_51657.html (http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Canon-**SUMMER-SALE**40D-BODY_51657.html)
-
Wow :cool:
Best reply I've ever had. Huge help thank you.
Someone told me to get a canon 600d. Is that better or something?
-
Really liking that jessops site :smiley:
-
I always advise two things:
- look on dpreview.com for camera reviews - helps you understand pros/cons of cameras
- go to the shop and try them out. You may not be able to try older cameras but you should be able to get a good idea of the feel of a camera and whether it feels natural to use/hold.
-
You do really need to go to a shop to try a camera.
Jessops will probably have a store near you and will have the latest Canon DSLRs in for you to try.
A Canon 600D is good, but it's the current model so will be more expensive.
Canon model numbers are easy to understand:
1100D and 1000D are the budget models.
400, 500, 600D are mid range.
450, 550, 650D are slightly higher
40D, 50D, 60D are high mid range/almost semi pro.
7D - semi pro/low pro model
6D - brand new full frame but small Pro model
5D (Mk3 is current model) is the pro standard.
1D/1DS/1DX - top of the range Pro models.
If the number (of the mid range) model starts with a 4, it's older, it it starts with a 5 it's about 2yrs old, if it starts with a 6, it's the current model.
So a 600D is the current model in the mid range. The 400 is the older equivalent (Horney has one) but it's still decent, although it doesn't do video. Most of the newer models will do video.
Looking at DPReview.com is good for gauging specs, but you really need to feel what they're like in your hand and try out things like the menus and changing modes, etc.
Here's a spec comparison for a 600D, 550D and the 1100D:
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eos600d&products=canon_eos550d&products=canon_eos1100d&sortDir=ascending (http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eos600d&products=canon_eos550d&products=canon_eos1100d&sortDir=ascending)
-
thank you very much, I feel I've got enough info now to work out what I want and what's worth the money.
thank you
-
Here's another option for you - Mifsuds. Someone I know recently bought a 30D from there recently, it went tits, she returned it and they sent her a 40D as a replacement.
Here's their current list of secondhand bodies:
http://mifsuds.com/acatalog/Used_Canon_EOS_Bodies.html
and here's their list of current secondhand lenses:
http://mifsuds.com/acatalog/Used_Canon_EOS_Lenses.html
I'd choose your body depending on your requirements, maybe a 40D and then get on the phone to them to see what deal they'll do you for a body and a walk-around lens - something like a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC.
-
Been reading a lot of reviews and seems I'm better off with a 550d. The 600 and 650 have touch screen faults and as dubfan said, it's cheaper.
I will want to take good pictures of us karting and that's at around 80mph. Want to see the writing on tyre and won't always be aloud on track, so thought 18mp would be better for taking distanced zoom pictures?
55x250 lense
There's a cheap 550d on the site DH thank you for sharing
-
The 550D will be a good camera, it's not the latest model, but only a year or two old. (I think DH has a 550D).
Yes, having a higher resolution will be helpful if you are going to crop the picture, but you are better off zooming in with your lens first.
55x250 lense
By the way, lenses are noted by their focal length in millimeters, so it's a 55-250mm zoom. The "x" in zoom specs for cameras is the number of times the small number goes into the bigger number.
So 250 / 55 = 4.54. So a 55-250mm lens has a zoom factor of 4.54x but 250mm is quite a decent length of zoom.
And if you're taking photos of moving carts, try reading this how-to by Horney: http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=114134.0 (http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=114134.0)
-
Been reading a lot of reviews and seems I'm better off with a 550d. The 600 and 650 have touch screen faults and as dubfan said, it's cheaper.
At a session with a well known news shooter who uses DSLRs last October the speaker said he'd rather have two 550Ds than one 7D or 5D MKII. Speaks volumes about the quality of the camera. I have a 500D, which lacks a few of the 550D's features.
I will want to take good pictures of us karting and that's at around 80mph. Want to see the writing on tyre and won't always be aloud on track, so thought 18mp would be better for taking distanced zoom pictures?
55x250 lense
The 55-250mm lens will be frustratingly slow. My 70-300mm is annoying for action at times. I would suggest you get a walk-around lens and maybe hire a telephoto for an event to see how you get on with it.
There's a cheap 550d on the site DH thank you for sharing
NP - pick up the phone and talk to them about a deal.
-
http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=469157
any good for ya mate? :undecided:
-
The 55-250 is a very good value lense. At the wide end f3.5 is quick enough although you may struggle at 250mm.
Just jump all the upgrades and get a 70-200 f2.8L :tongue:
-
Can't get on that link :huh:
And thanks again very helpful information.
I'm 98% sure ill get a 550d ill look into the lenses a bit more before I buy one. There's a independent shop in Cambridge that are meant to be very helpful. So going to go there on the weekend (if I'm not working) and get some more advise on the lenses ill need and get them to show me how to use one :grin:
Thanks guys! Great help!
-
Buy camera with kit lens then spend £100 on 50mm f1.8 and go shoot as much as you can in a semi-manual (or full manual) mode.
Buy more kit when you need it and hit a restriction with your current kit.
-
buy cheap body so you have more money to buy a really good lens. it's all about the quality of the lens.
-
buy cheap body so you have more money to buy a really good lens. it's all about the quality of the lens.
+1...I bought a 1100d and 3 lenses, and get some amazing photos...sure, it's not 18mp or 22mp...but i don't need to print large photo's...and I rarely print photo's anyway, 90% of my photo's are web based, and I have lost count of the amount of people I have seen with £1000+ dslr's shooting on full auto :whistle: I have had a couple of my photo's used on websites and in publications, along side the professional photographers photo's, nothing major, a local housing charity, but it's a start! The best thing I have done was to ignore the full auto settings and learn what my camera can do, what all the settings mean and do.